Digicated is a premier advisory firm that drives impact through digital marketing maturity.
We work with start-ups & digital-first organizations to elevate their brand and create business impact by using our cross-platform paid and organic digital marketing expertise and generative AI. Digicated also offers bespoke educational workshops for institutions and corporates to help build a more robust digital marketing ecosystem.
The Opportunity
In India, an unprecedented number of users are coming online with low-cost data and affordable smartphones. As a result, digital marketing as a medium is growing rapidly. While this upward trend began well before 2020, the pandemic has only accelerated this growth.
India continues to be the fastest-growing market globally* in terms of digital ad spend with 33% growth in comparison to 25.5% in the U.S.
The rising prominence of digital marketing, as opposed to traditional marketing platforms, is underlined by the 4.5X growth in share of digital ad spends, having gone from a mere 8% in 2014 to a whopping 35% of ad-ex in 2021.
Digital overtook TV to become the largest advertising medium in India in 2023.
*As per industry reports cited across media
TOP 5 COUNTRIES RANKED BY
DIGITAL AD SPEND GROWTH 2022
The Opportunity
TOP 5 COUNTRIES RANKED BY
DIGITAL AD SPEND GROWTH 2022
There is a growing focus on digital advertising with more users across rural and urban India rapidly coming online due to affordable data and smartphones. While this upward trend began well before 2020, the pandemic has only accelerated this growth.
India continues to be the fastest-growing market globally* in terms of digital ad spend with 33% growth in comparison to 25.5% in the U.S.
The rising prominence of digital marketing, as opposed to traditional marketing platforms, is underlined by the 4.5X growth in share of digital ad spends, having gone from a mere 8% in 2014 to a whopping 35% in 2021.
Digital overtook TV to become the largest advertising medium in India in 2023.
*As per industry reports cited across media
Existing Roadblocks
While the future of digital marketing in India looks optimistic, three barriers prevent its growth and evolution.
1. Digital marketing is complex.
A global study by Steinias highlights that 76% of B2B companies see digital marketing transformation as a complex strategy to execute.
76% B2B COMPANIES SEE DIGITAL MARKETING TRANSFORMATIONS AS COMPLEX
2. The digital landscape is ever-evolving.
- To put this into perspective, Google has an average of 12 algorithm changes a year and Search underwent 4500 changes in 2022 alone
- More significantly, social media platforms with 300M MAU grew exponentially from just 6 in 2016 to 17 in 2022 according to a report by Hootsuite
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS WITH 300M MAU GREW FROM 6 IN 2017 to 17 IN 2022
3. There is limited digital marketing expertise.
- From aggregated surveys of ~1000 students from India’s top MBA & IT colleges rate themselves at 2.8 / 5 on their understanding of digital marketing
- Additionally, most marketing teams at large organizations don’t have a specialized understanding of digital
*Survey run across multiple educational institutions in India over the course of two years.
MBA & IT COLLEGE STUDENT RATE THEMSELVES
2.8/5 ON THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF DIGITAL MARKETING
Existing Roadblocks
While the future of digital marketing in India looks optimistic, three barriers prevent its growth and evolution.
1. Digital marketing is complex.
A global study by Steinias highlights that 76% of B2B companies see digital marketing transformation as a complex strategy to execute.
76% B2B COMPANIES SEE DIGITAL MARKETING TRANSFORMATIONS AS COMPLEX
2. The digital landscape is ever-evolving.
- To put this into perspective, Google has an average of 12 algorithm changes a year and Search underwent 4500 changes in 2022 alone
- More significantly, social media platforms with 300M MAU grew exponentially from just 6 in 2016 to 17 in 2022 according to a report by Hootsuite
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS WITH 300M MAU GREW FROM 6 IN 2017 to 17 IN 2021
3. There is limited digital marketing expertise.
- From aggregated surveys of ~1000 students from India’s top MBA & IT colleges rate themselves at 2.8 / 5 on their understanding of digital marketing
- Additionally, most marketing teams at large organizations don’t have a specialized understanding of digital
*Survey run across multiple educational institutions in India over the course of two years.
MBA & IT COLLEGE STUDENT RATE THEMSELVES
2.8/5 ON THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF DIGITAL MARKETING
Our Solution
We offer a comprehensive generative AI powered digital marketing solution that encompasses the spectrum of assets, acquisition, and audience, enabling businesses to strengthen their brand on digital and accelerate growth.
FOUNDER
Abhinav Chetan, an award-winning marketer with 15+ years of experience working with Google across operations, automation, and product solutions, has worked with large brands, start-ups, and nonprofits across the US, UK, and India. Recently, he got recognized as among the top 40 under 40 marketers in India by Business World. He now brings this diverse skill set to enable start-ups and digital-first businesses to grow their organizations online. He understands what it takes to build a brand in today’s digital-first world: great assets, profitable acquisition, and an engaged audience tied together seamlessly.
Abhinav also offers his expertise as an educator at India’s top universities such as MICA, ISB, IIM – A/B, MDI, IIIT, and others where he trains students on best practices for marketing strategies in the digital age. He is also a trained yoga teacher and an avid reader who has a keen interest in books and equity trading.
Find out more at abhinavchetan.com
Abhinav Chetan
FOUNDER
Abhinav Chetan has over 12+ years of experience working with Google across operations, automation, and product solutions and has worked with large brands, start-ups, and nonprofits across the US, UK, and India. He now brings this diverse skill set to enable start-ups and digital-first businesses to grow their organizations online. He understands what it takes to build a brand in today’s digital-first world: great assets, profitable acquisition, and an engaged audience tied together seamlessly.
Abhinav also offers his expertise as an educator at India’s top universities such as MICA, ISB, IIM – A/B, MDI, IIIT, and others where he trains students on best practices for marketing strategies in the digital age. He is also a trained yoga teacher and an avid reader who has a keen interest in books and equity trading.
